Hello All,
I have something very simple to say in response to the recent thread on the listserve regarding a certain reading program: It is not programs that teach, but teachers who are well informed practitioners who teach. Staff development is a key component, but, in my opinion, scripted programs assume that teachers don't know enough about their subject matter to teach it effectively. From where did this assumption come? Definitely something to consider, especially in light of the incredible research that has generated the likes of this listserve. Thank you Elin Keene and Company. Laurie -----Original Message----- From: Amy McGovern <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:37 am Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] heartbreak /response to Reading Mastery Hello Gail, I read your post and I hear your frustration with the situation your school appears to be in. Having said that, it may surprise you to read that I am one of those teachers who loves Reading Mastery. I have spent the better part of my 14 year career teaching, training and consulting on Direct Instruction programs including and especially Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading. I don't know the specifics of your school, but I do know from experience that to successfully implement any reading program, philosophy, strategy or methodology--no matter where you fall on the spectrum of options--it takes a team effort, tons of training (initial and on-going) and the willingness to implement whatever you are teaching with fidelity. Contrary to popular belief, and despite the fact that you appear to be in a school that is struggling, I can say with certainty that it is not the program itself that has caused the problems you mention. That may be hard to read, but bare with me as I try to explain. The moderator for this site, Jennifer, has frequently spoken about her role as a reading specialist and reading teacher. She has eloquently written about regularly meeting collaboratively with teachers, reviewing data, moving kids based on their needs, sharing ideas and best practices. All this and more must happen in a successful Direct Instruction implementation as well. I have found that many experienced Direct Instruction teachers feel they have already been trained or coached enough and because the program is scripted, there isn't anything more to learn. Indeed that is not the case. Like all teaching, learning to make Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading work for the kids is an on-going process. There is always more to learn. The design of the Reading Mastery program can serve as an amazing vehicle to help kids achieve. The scripts in these levels are a tool. But someone extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of Direct Instruction needs to be steering the ship of a whole-school implementation. There needs to be LOTS of progress monitoring, frequent on-going training targeted to the needs of t he teachers and the students, lots of classroom coaching for ALL the teachers, and regular movement between groups based on student needs. Oh yes, and dare I say...the most skilled teachers need to be working with the lowest students. The script cannot and will not ever replace what a teacher can do. Again, it is an empowering tool if you know how to make it work for the kids. But it is not the script or the program per se that is teaching the kids to read....it's the teacher making it work for the kids. Again, I don't know the specifics of your situation. I suspect that somewhere along the line your staff received training and probably some coaching. Many times administration does not realize the huge on-going commitment to staff development required to successfully implement Direct Instruction. (Really, on-going staff development is needed with all the content areas, including and especially literacy. ) I highly recommend encouraging your administration to consider sending a literacy coach, program implementer, lead teacher, and or reading specialist to the Association for Direct Instruction's summer conference. (It would be great if the principal would go too :) this conference is always held the third week of July in Eugene, OR. It's an excellent conference that may help refocus and re-energize your staff. If sending some lead teachers to this event is out of the question, then seek out what ADI might be offering closer=2 0to where you live. The web site is ADIhome.org One final thought. As an independent consultant with a specialty in Direct Instruction, I can tell you that just because I recommend something change in a building...and even if I have tons of rationale for why that change should occur and ideas for how it can occur; I am one voice--on the outside. It takes a team effort starting from the top-- working all the way through the building to create a high achieving community of learners. I agree with the others that something needs to change in your site, but throwing out Reading Mastery may not necessarily be the answer. The research supporting Reading Mastery stretches back 40 years. In my opinion, it keeps showing up because there are schools that do it well and get results. Please feel free to ask any additional questions, I am happy to share some ideas--though that may be more appropriate in personal emails. Respectfully, Amy McGovern > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:39:45 -0800 > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] heartbreak > > My school has had school wide reading mastery for 10 years --and we still > aren't testing in the upper half of the nation! We have a group of 10 third > graders in 5th grade RM, and 16 in 4th grade RM. Each time I suggest > those students should have time to read science and/or social studies (k-3 > isn't tested in those subjects), literature circles, novels, etc., I get > treated as if I'm a "nut case." We have some students that just stay in > corrective reading--never progressing. Nevertheless, forget suggesting we > should try something else since RM isn't working. We have one elementary > school in 6th year program improvement. They can't/won't see any need for > change in this area. > > We are probably going to have massive layoffs and the end of class size > reduction. "Groups" (small groups of students going to the "lab" or another > classroom for their daily dose) are regularly cancelled because the district > can't hire subs for the aides that implement groups. These students are > sent back to their classrooms to be housed while their teacher is conducting > her/his group lesson. It always happens at the last minute, the students > are usually at the lowest levels, and of course they aren't at the "level" > being taught in their classroom. > > What has astounded me is the fervor of some teachers in their belief in this > program. It seems as if they have acquired a new religion. I've heard > teachers say that this is their favorite part of the day because they don't > have to do any lesson planning and often the students with the worst > behavior problems go out to a "group." I think principals love it because > they can hear a teacher start a sentence, then hear the same sentence > finished in the next room. > > Our administration is bringing in the distri ct's director of maintenance, > chief budget officer, and human resource director (she does not have a > degree in education) to observe our teaching. I was told that "a good > business has their managers on the floor," and that, "it is so important > for them (the directors) to understand our need for markers and white > boards." > > Without sarcasm-- I truly feel for you, I know your pain. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Beverlee Paul" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 9:28 AM > Subject: [MOSAIC] heartbreak > > > > Dear Friends, > > > > I guess this is a Dear John kind of post, in a way. Ironically, this list > > is the only place I can actually "talk" about what just happened in our > > school district. You probably understand at least as much about the depth > > of despair our staff feels. The backstory: We are 2 and 1/2 years into a > > strong, district-supported, balanced literacy movement, which follows on > > the > > heels of years of workshop, etcetera teaching, always reaching toward best > > practice. We have what I consider an extraordinary staff. We won the > > 2008 > > International Reading Association Exemplary Program Award for our state. > > > > I can't imagine why any of us would reach deep down to understand > > effective > > comprehension, or any other kind of effectiving instruction, given the > > latest events in my district. Why would we want to know more and more > > about > > what is out there to make a better way? > > > > Our superintendent just announced yesterday that, in addition to the > > layoff > > of 20% of our staff which was announced in December, we're about to commit > > to an enormous outlay of funds -- to purchase Reading Mastery. > > > > Our school has a 64% poverty rate (free and/or reduced lunches), a 25% > > mobility rate, a 35% minority rate, 2400 square miles in our district > > (think > > something larger than two of our states--Rhode Island and somewhere else), > > an extraordinary staff, and wonderful families. > > > > But RM has guaranteed that all our children will TEST at least in the > > upper > > half of the nation (probably higher) by the end of third grade. > > > > Anybody have any openings for 25 amazing teachers? > > _______________________________________________ > > Mosaic mailing list > > [email protected] > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > _________________________________________________________________ See how Windows Mob ile brings your life together—at home, work, or on the go. http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/msnnkwxp1020093182mrt/direct/01/ _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
